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Personalization Effects on Child Involvement during Shared Book Reading: Do Children of Color Benefit Most?

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Title: Personalization Effects on Child Involvement during Shared Book Reading: Do Children of Color Benefit Most?
Language: English
Authors: Regula Neuenschwander (ORCID 0000-0001-6189-1108), Patricia Brüniger, Celeste Fellmann
Source: European Journal of Psychology of Education. 2025 40(4).
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 25
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Kindergarten
Primary Education
Descriptors: Reading Aloud to Others, Minority Groups, Books, Disproportionate Representation, Kindergarten, Young Children, Parent Child Relationship, Child Behavior, Childrens Literature, Race
DOI: 10.1007/s10212-025-01026-5
ISSN: 0256-2928
1878-5174
Abstract: Personalization of children's books may provide an interesting opportunity for all children to find themselves in stories. Here, we investigate the differential impact of personalization on minority groups, such as children of color, focusing on their involvement during shared book reading. We hypothesized that a personalized book has a particularly great impact on the involvement of children of color since this group of children is still underrepresented in children's books. Eighty kindergarten children participated (n = 33 personalized book condition). Parents configured (i.e., personalized) the main character of the book (name of character, and physical appearance, including skin color). Children were then classified as light-skinned (n = 50) vs. dark-skinned (n = 30) based on parents' ratings. A personalized or traditional copy of the book (block-randomization) was read to each child individually and various questions regarding children's understanding of the story were asked. The whole session was video-taped and transcribed and later coded for behavioral and verbal involvement. ANOVAs revealed significant main effects of personalization on story retelling, and text comprehension, as well as verbal and behavioral involvement. The interaction with skin color was significant for behavioral and verbal involvement, suggesting that for these variables only children of color benefited from personalization (for interactive behavioral involvement both groups showed personalization effects, however, children of color benefited more). Finally, perceived underrepresentation did not moderate these effects. This is the first study to report personalization effects in a specific group of children, i.e., dark-skinned children, and thus provides valuable insights into the role of personalization in children's books.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1496788
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Personalization Effects on Child Involvement during Shared Book Reading: Do Children of Color Benefit Most?
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Regula+Neuenschwander%22">Regula Neuenschwander</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6189-1108">0000-0001-6189-1108</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Patricia+Brüniger%22">Patricia Brüniger</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Celeste+Fellmann%22">Celeste Fellmann</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22European+Journal+of+Psychology+of+Education%22"><i>European Journal of Psychology of Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 40(4).
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  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
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  Data: 25
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Aloud+to+Others%22">Reading Aloud to Others</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Minority+Groups%22">Minority Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Books%22">Books</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disproportionate+Representation%22">Disproportionate Representation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kindergarten%22">Kindergarten</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Young+Children%22">Young Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Child+Relationship%22">Parent Child Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+Behavior%22">Child Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Childrens+Literature%22">Childrens Literature</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Race%22">Race</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1007/s10212-025-01026-5
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  Data: 0256-2928<br />1878-5174
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  Data: Personalization of children's books may provide an interesting opportunity for all children to find themselves in stories. Here, we investigate the differential impact of personalization on minority groups, such as children of color, focusing on their involvement during shared book reading. We hypothesized that a personalized book has a particularly great impact on the involvement of children of color since this group of children is still underrepresented in children's books. Eighty kindergarten children participated (n = 33 personalized book condition). Parents configured (i.e., personalized) the main character of the book (name of character, and physical appearance, including skin color). Children were then classified as light-skinned (n = 50) vs. dark-skinned (n = 30) based on parents' ratings. A personalized or traditional copy of the book (block-randomization) was read to each child individually and various questions regarding children's understanding of the story were asked. The whole session was video-taped and transcribed and later coded for behavioral and verbal involvement. ANOVAs revealed significant main effects of personalization on story retelling, and text comprehension, as well as verbal and behavioral involvement. The interaction with skin color was significant for behavioral and verbal involvement, suggesting that for these variables only children of color benefited from personalization (for interactive behavioral involvement both groups showed personalization effects, however, children of color benefited more). Finally, perceived underrepresentation did not moderate these effects. This is the first study to report personalization effects in a specific group of children, i.e., dark-skinned children, and thus provides valuable insights into the role of personalization in children's books.
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1007/s10212-025-01026-5
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      – SubjectFull: Reading Aloud to Others
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Minority Groups
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      – SubjectFull: Books
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      – SubjectFull: Disproportionate Representation
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      – SubjectFull: Kindergarten
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      – SubjectFull: Young Children
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      – SubjectFull: Parent Child Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Child Behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Childrens Literature
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      – TitleFull: Personalization Effects on Child Involvement during Shared Book Reading: Do Children of Color Benefit Most?
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